


Captain Criminal Minds

by Krystalstar22



Category: Captain America - All Media Types, Criminal Minds
Genre: Action/Adventure, F/M, Love, M/M, Relationship(s)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-14
Updated: 2016-01-14
Packaged: 2018-05-13 21:06:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 22
Words: 11,439
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5717074
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Krystalstar22/pseuds/Krystalstar22
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I do have a co author, but I am unsure of her name on her, but on vingle she goes by @shannonI5.  Every even chapter is written by her, I take no credit. :)</p>
    </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I do have a co author, but I am unsure of her name on her, but on vingle she goes by @shannonI5. Every even chapter is written by her, I take no credit. :)

Krystal awoke from her bed with a start, getting up only to close the balcony door of her penthouse apartment. She let out a soft sigh as she rubbed her eyes, watching as the sun rose. "It's gonna be one of those days, isn't it?" She quipped to herself, going to make a cup of green tea with 4 teaspoons of sugar and cream. Somehow the pretty blue haired woman knew that today would turn her world upside down. It seemed like anytime it rained in DC, something happened that made her cry. The last time it was finding her dearest friend in the ice. This time she had no clue what it might be, but something told her it would bigger than even the last time. Sometimes, it just happened that way. So she got in the shower, got her clothes on, and went off to see Director Fury. Now she knew something was up. As a founder of SHIELD, she was only called in when it was most needed.

Nicholas Fury sat at his desk, waiting for both Krystal and Steve. He might've called JJ as well, but he was off on his honeymoon with Tony, and didn't want to bother him. Instead, he would call in the FBI's BAU. They were flying in from Quantico now, already debreifed on the sitchuation at hand. When both had arrived, he let out a sigh as Krystal hugged him. She always did that. "At the present time, I have called the BAU to investigate a series of muders of high SHIELD officials, and who we think to be the red skull." Nick explained cooly, and both of the two others in the room mouths dropped open. 

Krystal was first to speak, eyes full of concern. "You're staying with me, Nicky." it was a simple and final statement that made the director roll his eye. He knew it was useless to argue with her about something like that. Steve was the next to speak, arms crossed as he sat. "I don't like the looks of this, Nick."

Meanwhile, on the plane, Spencer was studying the case files with an extreme passion. Something about this particukar case had him baffled. Each victim was someone high up on the SHIELD roster with close ties to Captain America. It seemed as though it was someone with a grudge against him. 

When he got to the last file though, the one with possible targets, his eyes widened at the beauty of the woman in the photo. "Hmm, a fae queen? What would she want in this world?" he asked himself, reading the file to find all the history of the pretty queen and her human lover, one Sgt. James Buchanan Barnes.

It all started one fateful saturday afternoon when a certain small man was trapped in a back alley. Krystal had passed through the veil to visit her uncle, who was a winter court prince who took up the mantle of a high ranking military official in New Jersey. She had just been passing by when she found Steve being beat up in an alley. She detested bullies, and could tell just by the way they were speaking that these men certainly were bullying steve. 

Quick as a flash, she had them knocked down. "Now, I don't want to see you three anywhere near him ever again. If I do, I promise you'll have more than a few bruises." she threatened flatly, though her eyes showed just how serious she really was. Ince the men had run off, she helped the man up, introducing herself. "Krystal Kobayashi. its nice to meet you, mr.." she said, politely curtseying in her dark blue cocktail dress which looked like it cost more than Bucky made in a month. 

Steve gave her a small smile, bowing slightly. "Steve Rogers. It's a pleasure to meet you, ma'am." He was instantly smitten, but something told him he had no real chance. This woman was destined for his best friend.

Krystal was helping Steve out of the alley when Bucky appeared, sighing at his best friend. "Got into another scrap, didn't ya punk?" he asked the smaller man, not yet seeing the pretty woman next to him. She noticed him though, and her eyes showed something akin to pain. He almost looked like a carvon copy of the Nemisisian prince she'd loved centuries before. Steve let out a sigh. "Yeah, I did Jerk. Luckily Miss Krystal came and saved me." He explained, gesturing to the exotic blue haired beauty next to him. 

Immediately Bucky went into charm mode, running a hand through his hair as he smirked at her. "Well, Hello beautiful. My name is James Barnes, but my friends call me Bucky." It was a simple phrase, but the ties it created were just as strong as they had been with her prince so long ago. Before she knew it, he was off at war and she was pregnant.

Nothing lasts forever though, as the Sgt Krystal loved would sadly fall from a train and die, or so they thought. Could these mysterious killings be connected to him somehow? she didn't know, but what she did know was that the connection she shared with all of her subjects never truly cut after Bucky's death. If he truly was alive, she'd need to do all it took to find and save him from what she was sure was evil.


	2. Chapter 2

Meanwhile... 

The Soldier was blinking. His limbs felt stiff and leaden. He was so thirsty... so-

"Soldier?"

He blinked. The lights were too bright, but he forced himself to look alert. Stable. 

"Sir?" His voice sounded foreign and his lips were dry, but the word felt natural to him, as natural as breathing. He waited for the command he knew was coming. 

"Wipe successful," a man came into view as the Soldier blinked. The man was speaking to a technician but he focused quickly on the Soldier. "We have a mission for you"

The Soldier knew he wasn't supposed to speak, so he continued to wait. The man nodded.

"Straightforward mission, nothing you can't handle." The man handed the Soldier a photograph of a young woman with blue hair. "There's a file with more details. You'll have a small team with you. Forty-eight hours. Make it look like an accident." The man stood, speaking to one of the technicians. "And make sure someone cleans him up. Look at his hands."

The Soldier stared down at them, noticing the faint traces of blood underneath his fingernails.


	3. Chapter 3

Krystal sighed as she cooked dinner for her and Steve. It was their weekly movie night at her penthouse, but tonight her heart just wasn't in it as much as it usually was. She was worried about Steve because it was nearing the anniversary of bucky's death, and she could sense something coming. She didn't know what it was, but she did know it wasn't gonna be friendly. At least not at first. Something told her it was something long missing from her. Perhaps the magic she'd imparted on Bucky before he went to war had saved his life? She really wasn't sure.

Meanwhile, The winter soldier was being given a side mission: To kill the director of SHIELD. Alexander pierce needed him dead to go further with the plan for the 3 helicarriers.

Steve had just finished his run and was getting ready to go back into his apartment to get ready to go to Krystal's when his neighbor told him he'd left his stereo on. He never did that.

Steve crawled in through window, shield in hand as he crept through the apartment, shocked when he saw Director Fury himself. "Sorry, I didn't have any other place to crash. My wife left me." 

Steve crossed his arms after setting his shield down. "I didn't know you had a wife." 

Nick crossed his legs in the chair. "There's alot of things you don't know about me." 

Steve walked closer, watching the other man and wondering why he had chose here instead of Krystal's place. "You don't share a whole lot. Who else knows about your wife?" 

Nick got up from the chair, walking towards the good captain. "Just my friends"

A shot wrung out and into the director, making him fall. Steve runs to his aid, watching as his neighbor busts the door in with a gun. "I'm Sharon Carter, agent 13, captain. I was assigned to protect you."

Steve looked at her slack jawed. "By who?" 

Sharon knelt down by the director before saying something into her raido. "By him."

Sharon clicked the button on the receiver, and voices explaibed wanting to know who shot him. 

Steve grabbed his shield. "Tell them I'm in pursuit" 

Steve ran and ran, finally meeting the man that had dupposedly killed director Fury. He threw his shield at him, but to no avail. the mysterious man caught it with a metal arm, threw it back and jumped away before he could catch him. Little did he know that he would meet him again. 

It was just a day later that the mysterious man found hiself looking through a viewfinder in order to kill Krystal Kobayashi. He was shaking slightly as he went to pull the trigger, watching the woman to find the right moment. When it finally came, he hesitayed and the moment passed. "She's just another mission " he chanted to himself under his breath, domehow knowing she was much more than the fate picked for her by his boss.


	4. Chapter 4

Doctor Reid landed with the rest of the BAU just in time to hear the news: Nick Fury had been fatally shot, and the perpetrator was still at large. The team got right to work, setting up in the S.H.I.E.L.D. offices and analyzing the evidence.

"This doesn't follow the same pattern as the previous killings," Reid mused. "Could this mean the unsub is becoming more erratic?"

Prentiss scanned the photos of the attack on Captain Rogers' apartment. "It's possible. Fury starts investigating, the unsub sees him as a threat and attacks. It could explain the change in behavior."

"Or it could mean there's something else going on here. I don't want to rule out more than one person just yet," Reid passed her another series of photographs. "This file goes back decades, it's hard to believe this is all the work of one person."

Prentiss nodded.

"Sure. But in a world with Avengers and aliens, anything is possible."  
Reid continued working late into the night, trying to build a profile for this new unsub. The initial pattern was methodical and ruthless. And there was nothing left behind- no fingerprints or DNA. The only thing tying the victims together was their association with S.H.I.E.L.D. Scientists, politicians, even a member of the janitorial staff. It was incredibly frustrating. 

The only thing he had to go on was the murder of Director Fury. Even though there were many distinctions from the other victims, Reid was sure that this was the work of the same unsub. The shot used to kill Director Fury was incredibly precise, and had to be the work of an expert sniper. Reid knew of no one alive who could shoot like that.

Reid knew he had to speak with everyone close to the Director. Captain Rogers was still being debriefed, but Reid knew there was someone else he could talk to: Krystal. He'd never met her before but her understood that she and the Director were very close. Decision made, Reid made his way to her office.

Almost there, he was stopped by Alexander Pierce.   
"Is there something I can help you with?"

Reid nodded.

"I was on my way to speak to Krystal about the assassination, I think she might have valuable insight."

Pierce bit his lip.

"I'm afraid I have some bad news for you Doctor Reid." He took a breath. "She missed her check in. As of right now she's a person of interest."


	5. Chapter 5

When Doctor Reid would get to Krystal's office, a transparent woman who appeared to be Krystal's assistant would be there, cleaning, rearranging and adding to the many books, knick knacks from around the world, and pictures of the woman in question and her son. "Oh, Dr. Reid. I thought you might want to see me. Please, come in. I Apoligize for appearing like this, but I'm in a bit of a pickle. I've been kidnapped. I'm projecting myself from somewhere in the artic. The irony is awful." she explained as her transparent body quickly changed, and she became the woman from the photo that the doctor had so carefully memorized.   
It happened as quickly as a whirlwind. She had been home, waiting for Steve when the winter soldier burst into her home, rifle in hand. "Why can't I kill you? You're just another mission!" His russian was flawless and angry as he grabbed her forcefully by his metal arm, holding her up. 

Krystal let out a tiny breath as she was held up, just watching the man. She could see in his eyes the pain he'd suffured, and her heart went out to him. Her russian was perfect as she replied softly "I don't know." 

Those three simple words were enough to make the man growl in frustration, throwing her across the room before picking her back up bridal style and running as fast as he could away. Unconciously, the wheels in his mind were turning, and they knew better than he did. He needed her safe, and that meant taking her to a place not even his handlers knew about. His place.   
The ride was pretty quick despite the distance, but Krystal had no idea where she was currently. Her only clue was the crunch of icen snow under her heeled boots as the man lead her to a large lodge like cabin. 

Once inside, he took off her blindfold, talking in perfect russian. "You're safe here. I'm gonna get changed. Make yourself comfortable." It was a complete change from the angry man she'd met what seemed like only minutes before. 

Krystal sat down on the couch, taking off the heavy coat the man had put on her and let out a soft sigh. "Where in the name of rah am I? Its colder than a witches tit here!" she quipped to herself quietly, turning her head to look around. This man certainly knew how to decorate. It was both homey and modern. While she had no real proof he was Bucky, something about his energy felt like her Bucky's. Could it really be him?   
Krystal sat meditating on the couch, boots off and legs crossed in the lotus posistion. "Hello again." she said softly in russian, but not opening her eyes. She was content just to relax there. She could sense that he didn't want to hurt her, even though he'd tried to kill her earlier. She was very percetive. 

The winter soldier sighed, sitting across from krystal, cold beer in hand. "You can open your eyes. Its not like I'm going to kill you because you know who I am. Someone in this fucked up world must." His words were a flat tone of russian as he spoke, taking another sip of his beer. He would have asked her if she wanted one as well, but something told him that she preferred tea over alcohol. 

Krystal opened her eyes, letting out a soft sound of surprise as she got up from the couch to get closer to him. "I thought you were dead" That was all she said as she sat next to him, taking him in with curiousity. 

Krystal let out a breath. "I do know who you are. Your name is James Buchanan Barnes and you are the love of my life."   
Meanwhile, Krystal shadow doppleganger was having a conversation with Dr. Reid. "No, I absolutely wouldn't and couldn't kill Nick. He and I have been friends for a very long time." while she knew Spencer couldn't quite trust her, she also knew how smart the man is. Every liar has a tell, but Krystal didn't have that right now. There was no way in any possible realm that she killed Nicholas J. Fury.


	6. Chapter 6

Meanwhile, at the S.H.I.E.L.D. base... 

Doctor Reid was speaking to Krystal's projection. 

"We don't have much time. Doctor Reid, anyone loyal to Fury is going to be in danger."

Reid's eyes widened. "What do you mean?"

"There's no way someone managed to kill Director Fury without inside help."

It made sense. Except it didn't! The killer they were tracking had been assassinating S.H.I.E.L.D. agents and associates for years. If it was the work of someone inside the organization, what would they possibly have to gain? And how would they have managed to hide in the shadows for so long? 

"Krystal, I'm not sure I believe you. You're a person of interest. I shouldn't even be talking to you like this." He took a breath. "Can you try to tell me where you are? We'll send a team and-"

"No!" Her gut lurched. "Just focus on finding the traitor within S.H.I.E.L.D. I can take care of myself!" She wasn't sure how, but she knew that her captor wasn't going to hurt her. In fact, she was very sure that she needed to keep S.H.I.E.L.D. *away* from him until it was safe. But the conversation was draining too much of her power. 

"I'll send word as soon as I can Doctor Reid. Please, for now trust your team. And if you see Captain Rogers-"  
She was cut off. The image flickered away. Reid blinked. 

"I have to get Morgan on this. If anyone can track her, it'll be him." Of course, he couldn't just leave Krystal out there all alone. Either she was the spy that Alexander Pierce thought she was, or she wasn't a spy and was in fact in grave danger. He couldn't leave her alone, he knew that much. He pulled out his phone. 

"Morgan," Reid glanced around the office. "I'm going to need you down here. Don't," he paused. "Make sure Steve Rogers doesn't follow you. Just for now." Reid hung up. He wasn't sure if he could trust Captain Rogers or not. But he knew that for now, the best thing he could do was keep the news of Krystal's abduction within the BAU.   
"Tell him I'll be all right! And to stay safe!" But the projection was gone, she already knew it. And it meant that she'd accidentally said the words out loud. And *he* was staring at her, with wide blue eyes that she was sure she knew. 

"What did you call me?" He whispered.

Krystal gulped.

"Your name. Your name is James Buchanan Barnes."

He closed his eyes.

"And who the hell is that?"


	7. Chapter 7

The room went quiet for a few minutes as Krystal struggled to think about what to say next. She let out a soft sigh. "That, my dear buckeye, is a very long story, but it might be easier to explain through me rather than me telling you."

Krystal reached for his flesh hand, her pale thin fingers glowing a light shade of blue. "I promise I won't hurt you. Please, just trust me, Bucky" Her words were soft as she spoke, and her face showed her genuine concern, love and care for the man sitting there next to her. 

The winter soldier was hesitant at first, but something inside him told him she would keep her word. He took her outstretched hand, his face showing his confusion as he began to glow.

Krystal gave him a small smile. "You may pass out, but other than that it shouldn't hurt." her promise was firm, and she chanted something softly, intensifying the glow enveloping the man beside her. 

Within another few moments, he'd passed out, still holding her hand as she chanted.   
The winter soldier found himself at a door, one full of white light. "Krystal?" he called out curiously, watching as chairs and a table appeared, showing a movie of his two lives on a large projector. A man appeared in from the distance. "Hello, Soldier." he said simply, walking over to the other man, showing his face to him. 

The winter soldier had to blink twice. It was like looking at a carbon copy of himself, only the modern clothes he usually wore was replaced by a foreign yet familiar uniform. "Who are you?" he asked confused, listening to the chuckle coming from the other man's lips as he sat. 

Bucky pulled his hair up into a low ponytail before speaking, another low chuckle escaping him. "I am you, yet I am not. Trapped here because of the power of the men you think you are helping do good." 

In one small motion, Bucky locked the soldier down, and in a bright light was carried back into his own head, no longer forced to watch as his body became the murder puppet of HYDRA.

When he awoke, he kissed Krystal passionately, both throwing her off gaurd and msking happy tears come from her glacial blue eyes. "I promised I'd come back, sorry I took so long, Doll." and it was with those simple words she knew that her magic had worked. The only trouble now was finding away to take down HYDRA from inside SHIELD.


	8. Chapter 8

Meanwhile at the S.H.I.E.L.D. base... 

Doctor Reid examined Krystal's office while he waited for Morgan and the others to meet him there. Nothing significant had been left behind, though he began to unhook her computer so that their techs could examine it for clues. 

And then he heard the shots.

He had his gun in his hand faster than an eye blink, and took cover mere seconds later. He wasn't equipped for a shootout, but he was well-trained. He took out his phone to call for backup but someone started pounding on the door. 

"Reid! It's me!"

Morgan. Reid breathed a sigh of relief and opened the door. Morgan burst through, talking into his phone. "We're good, he's here." He hung up and looked at Reid. "You find anything in here?"

Reid shook his head.

"Nothing, what's going on outside?"

Morgan shook his head. "It's not good."  
Reid swallowed. "What is it?"

Morgan shook his head.

"I'm not totally sure. But right now it sounds like they're bringing in the big guns on Captain America." He stared. "Reid you told us all to be careful around him. What did you find out."

Reid took a deep breath.

"It's going to take some explaining. But the short version of it is," he paused, "there's definitely a spy inside S.H.I.E.L.D. And I'm beginning to think that's the least of our problems."  
Later... 

The BAU team had summarized the evidence they'd recovered so far. The entire case was a mess. They were sure now that the assassination of Director Fury had been orchestrated by someone inside S.H.I.E.L.D. and that the killer was a gifted sniper who had been responsible for numerous deaths going back to at least the 1960s if not earlier. 

"We're missing huge gaps," Reid put down the file, frustrated. "We still don't know who commanded the assassination. And in the meantime, we don't know where Krystal is."

Morgan nodded.

"Reid's right. We need to start investigating her disappearance. She's connected to all of this, and she was the one closest to Fury. She definitely had the means. Either she's been abducted, or she's laying low until she can make her next move. Either way if we follow her trail it might lead us to our killer."

Reid knew that Krystal wasn't responsible, but he didn't say anything. He needed evidence, no matter how sure he was.


	9. Chapter 9

Once Reid had unhooked the computer, Morgan brought it to Garcia to look at. "This is assistant director Krystal's computer. Hopefully you can get something from it baby girl." Morgan explained, the woman simply nodding as she went to work. 

The computer was a small dark blue netbook running windows 10, but it had a tricky password. Even so, Garcia was easily able to figure ot out. even without knowing the woman, she could tell by the background that the password had something to do with the woman's son. 

As garcia looked through it, she would find tons of photos of the woman and her son, novels She was writing, and some shameless sailor moon fan fiction. As she dug deeper, she found things she didn't expect. "It appears that the assistant director has been looking for someone. I found heavily encrypted files of her efforts to find someone named James Buchanan Barnes. It appears she believes him to be alive" 

Morgan looked curious as watched Garcia on the assistant directors computer, looking as deeply as she could. So far, the pretty blond had not found anything that could, would or even did make her a suspect in the killing of the director. "Reid, you said that the director was shot right? It couldn't have been this woman. I have dug as deep as I can in this harddrive, and I see nothing that would incriminate her. If anything, this woman is on the hitlist rather than being the hitman." From what she had gathered, Krystal was more of a sword weilder than a gun toter, and she cared to deeply for fury to ever hurt him. Whoever did this was trying to frame her and possibly the good captain as well.   
Somewhere in the Artic... 

Krystal was softly singing to the jazz music that was playing over the speakers in the lodge. She gave Bucky a light kiss. "Now, should we go save steve's ass or let him do it himself?" she asked, playing with her long blue hair. She wasn't quite sure if she should involve bucky in the affairs of the what she knew was a corrupt SHIELD, but she also needed to save her best friend. He always got into messes like this when she was away. She knew it was going to be bad, no matter what, even if she sincerely believed that Dr. Reid was on her side. 

Krystal was not by any means an idiot, and she knew that things were about to get sticky back in DC. The woman was torn. While she knew Steve could survive without her, she still wanted to help him. She adored him. It was making her crazy that she couldn't help. She almost felt as helpless as when she was pregnant with JJ.  
The black widow popped a bubble in her mouth as she looked at the good captain. It was a small tic she had when feeling like things were becoming increasingly difficult. "I have a plan, and I think I know who killed Fury. Please just trust me." She held a small flashdrive in her hand as she spoke, walking away though she waited for the captain to follow. 

Steve sighed and nodded, dropping his suit in the gym he frequents. That way they would think he was there when really he and Natasha were at the apple store decoding the flashdrive leftbto them by the director. A beared mab cam up tobthem. "you need any help?" he asked, and Natasha shook her head. They were fine on their own. 

Natasha let out a small giggle. "My fiancee and I arenlooking for a honeymoon destination." Her lie was smooth as she held onto the good captain, her affection forbhim obvious. She needed to make it look convincing. 

The bearded man smiled. "Where are you guys thinking of going?" 

The good captain frowned slightly as he read out the place. "New Jersey" It was almost as if the Brooklyn boy he is died a little inside at the admittance. Things were about to get interesting. 

Natasha set her feet up on the dash of the car they were driving. "So, where did the captain learn to steal a car?" 

Steve rolled his eyes, driving towards their target. "Nazi Germany. And we're borrowing!"


	10. Chapter 10

Natasha and Steve arrived at an all too-familiar base in New Jersey. Steve remembered it even though time had aged the place in a way that hadn't touched him. The site had been unused since World War II, but he remembered the wheezing ache of the asthma threatening his lungs with every lap he had to run over the obstacle course. 

"Steve?" Natasha was beside him. "Looks like this place was abandoned a long time ago."

He shook his head.

"Not quite. That bunker over there is in the wrong place. Army regulation stated that any weapons had to be stored much further away from the barracks."

After they made their way inside and found the secret entrance to the old S.H.I.E.L.D. database, Natasha couldn't help but look impressed. "Nice catch old man."  
After the base exploded, Natasha wasn't as impressed.

"So, we know S.H.I.E.L.D. has been infiltrated by Hydra. And we know their plan." She wiped some rubble off her jacket. "Use Fury's Insight Project to wipe out any threats to Hydra's new world order. You think we've seen the last of Zola?"

Steve shoved away the last of the rubble with his shield.

"He'd better hope he's seen the last of me."

Natasha didn't mention that threats of physical violence meant nothing to a digital entity. She knew Steve was upset because after all he'd been through, it seemed like the enemy he died defeating had thrived. He was taking it hard.

"Look. We'll go back to DC, get whatever allies we can together, and take them down." She looked at Steve. "We've got this."

Steve shuddered.

"And who am I supposed to trust now? I've been working for S.H.I.E.L.D., probably doing Hydra's work for all I know. How can I trust anyone right now?"

Just then, there was a flash of light. Natasha and Steve found cover immediately, worried that the same Hydra agents who sent a missile their way would be coming back to make sure the job was done. That is, until Steve heard a familiar voice. 

"I guess you really had 'em on the ropes, is that right Stevie?"

Bucky and Krystal appeared overhead, grinning.

"Buck?" Steve whispered, not sure he should believe what he was seeing. 

"Long time no see," he cocked his head. "A real long time, if I've got my facts straight." He chuckled. "Sounds like you're in some kind of trouble there Rogers. You sure you don't want me to bail you out?"

Steve made a broken sound as he ran towards Bucky, wrapping him in his arms.

"I thought you were dead." He stood back and really looked at Bucky. The man looked stronger, but also like he'd been through a terrible ordeal. "What happened to you? Are you all right?"

Bucky nodded, covered his pain with a smile, and said "Eh, it's a long crummy story. I'll tell you all about it when we finish what we started." He looked over at Krystal. "It's time to show Hydra who's boss."  
Meanwhile, at S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters... 

Reid slipped a note to Morgan: *NEED TO TALK SOMEWHERE THEY CAN'T HEAR US.* It wasn't subtle, but it would have to do. He was sure he knew who the traitors within S.H.I.E.L.D. were and if he was correct (and all the evidence suggested he was) then the BAU needed to get somewhere safe while they figured out what to do next. 

Morgan shrugged, nodding at Reid. "I'm hungry, you?" "Incredibly so," Reid answered. They took the stairs down to their favorite lunch spot, which was out of earshot of the building.

"What's up Reid? You look like you've seen a ghost."

Reid gulped.

"People have been calling the Winter Soldier a ghost for decades."

Morgan almost dismissed him, but he knew that Reid didn't make jokes like that.

"You're saying we're looking for a Hydra assassin. But they were beaten years ago, why- no, *how* would their legendary assassin be in DC?"

Reid gulped.

"I think. Morgan. The files Garcia uncovered. The pictures of the man that Krystal was looking for- they're identical to the ones of the assassin. He disappeared in 1945, just a few years before the Soldier became active."

"Which would leave him, what- ninety something years old?"

Reid nodded.

"Just like Captain America." He swallowed. "But that's not all. I think Alexander Pierce is the one pulling his strings."

"Which means," Morgan's eyes widened. "No."

"S.H.I.E.L.D. has been infiltrated by Hydra."

Morgan recovered from his shock quickly.

"We need to warn everyone. Get them out. I'll think of something." Morgan turned back around, and Reid followed him. They were completely silent in the elevator, aware that there were cameras and recording devices all around them. The doors opened on their floor- and Alexander Pierce was waiting for them.

"Good afternoon gentleman."

Morgan reached for his gun, but it was too late. The doors slammed shut.

"I can't let you ruin your promising careers," Pierce's voice announced over the intercom. "You will both wait here until the launch of Project Insight. I'll speak to you both again in a few hours."

Morgan glanced at Reid.

"Project Insight?"

Reid was shaking his head.

"Really, really, really bad news."


	11. Chapter 11

Krystal wrapped an arm around Bucky, kissing his cheek. The smirk on her face directed at Steve was an obvious tell of her running argument with the other. It was simply dripping with "Told you I'd find him." Looked lije she's finally won that one. 

Krystal nodded at Bucky's suggestion. "It certainly is. Time to show them we're stronger than we look." she added, her expression showing her determination as she watched both Natasha and Steve, who simply nodded as well. Together they would beat HYDRA.

Later that day, Steve sighed as he knocked on the glass door of one Sam wilson. "Everyone we know is trying to kill us." 

Sam let the foursome in, smirking flirtily at Krystal. "Not everyone." He'd never never met Krystal before, but had seen enough pictures at steve's apartment to know who the pretty fae was when he saw her. 

Bucky frowned at Sam, wrapping an arm around Krystal possesively. While he knew it was possible she had dated in his absence, now that he was back, he'd claimed her as his once more. "Sorry son, but this doll is mine." You could hear the brooklyn accent coming out as he spoke. 

Sam chuckled, holding his arms up. "No problem man. But who exactly are you?"   
Meanwhile in the comference room at SHIELD headquarters...   
The team was starting to get worried. Garcia was first to speak, playing with her fuzzy blue pen nervously. "Reid and Morgan have been gone way to long. I have a bad feeling." 

JJ nodded, playing with her hair nervously. She looked to Hotch, who was deep in though. He wasn't sure what to make of it either. The two younger men were always punctual after eating, especially when on a case. None of this made sense. Hitch shook his head. "you're right, this isn't like them. What do you think could be keeping them?" 

None of the team had really trusted Alexander pierce when they met him, feeling uneasy as though they were in an enclosed space with a particularly sadistic unsub. None of this was making sense. While Reid had gotten it all figured out, the rest of the BAU hadn't, and was likely in even worse trouble.


	12. Chapter 12

It was difficult to part ways once the plan was settled, but necessary. Natasha and Sam said their goodbyes to Krystal, Steve, and Bucky knowing that this mission might be lethal. But they all knew that they'd have to save the 'what-ifs' for another day. It would only be a distraction. 

Sam and Natasha retrieved his wings easily. The next step was infiltrating S.H.I.E.L.D.

"You sure this is a good idea Nat?" Sam wasn't nervous, just checking in. "Seems like a bad idea, decking your boss."

Natasha shrugged.

"It'll probably be safer for her. I suspect Alexander Pierce isn't going to let anyone argue him out of the Insight project. She's probably on the list."

"Sure, but so are you."

"No." Natasha didn't look at him. "Zola said it would be senseless to kill me when my loyalties can be bought."

Sam had been expecting Natasha to protest, say that she was better equipped for whatever Alexander Pierce was going to throw at them. Her blunt honesty surprised him. He put a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey. I know it's not like that. It just goes to show they don't really know you at all."

She smiled halfway.

"You just met me. How can you be sure."

Sam shrugged.

"You're with Captain America. He trusts you. Seems like a good judge of character."

Natasha let herself smile for real- and then let go of it. It was time to start the mission.   
Successfully impersonating one of the members of the S.H.I.E.L.D. oversight board, Natasha walked into the base. It was easy enough to find out where the planned meeting with Alexander Pierce was to be held; she was early of course. Plenty of time to let Sam in through an unguarded window and rescue the members of the BAU they were sure were trapped inside. They needed all the allies they could get. After all, anyone in the building could be working for Hydra. 

Natasha was more worried about the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents that would be taken in by the lies Pierce would surely tell them. They'd be fighting for the wrong side without even realizing it. She was hoping that the BAU could help curtail the situation and prevent needless casualties. This was going to tear S.H.I.E.L.D. apart- and she was desperately hoping that there'd be enough people after the crisis to put it back together.   
The remaining members of the BAU were trying their best to appear calm as they searched for Morgan and Reid. It was clear that something was very wrong- the conspiracy within S.H.I.E.L.D. had to go much further than they previously suspected. They were worried about their friends, not ready to fear the worst and struggling to remain calm.

"Wait, I've got something," Garcia had tapped into the security system. Prentiss joined her, staring at the screen. "What is it?"

"Locked elevator, with security cameras disabled," Garcia grinned, typing away. "And it's the route they would have taken to get back inside the building- yep! There they are getting in. And then the footage just cuts off. It's labeled as a 'maintenance issue' but they've got to be in there!"

Prentiss was already out the door, followed by JJ and Hotchner. Garcia followed them on the cameras, tracking their progress. She connected to their headsets as well. "Can you hear me?"

"We're here Garcia!" Prentiss examined the elevator doors. "We'll have to pry it open."

"Hang on guys, looks like you're about to get some company." Garcia saw two figures walking down the hall. "I'm not sure who they're allied with, be careful."  
Natasha removed her disguise as soon as she saw the BAU members.

"We're the good guys. Trust me on this one." She shot the Hydra agent that had been tailing them. 

Beside her, Sam just grinned.

"I've got something in my kit that should help get them out."


	13. Chapter 13

Krystal, Steve, and Bucky lay low in her castle on the outskirts of DC, waiting for the okay from Natasha to go in and install the chips. She paced, drinking a cup of hot tea, her crown slipping from her head. It always did that. Bucky chuckled softly, trying to lighten the mood. "I never understood why you never got that thing resized." 

Krystal made a face. "Because it was papa's. I can't mess with something that was papa's" her voice was soft yet matter of fact as she spoke, setting her tea down only a moment to change into a dark blue catsuit with holsters for her two samurai swords and two handguns. While it was true Krystal wasn't the greatest shot, she was still better than any hydra agent or storm trooper combined.  
Meanwhile, Sam and Natasha were getting the BAU out. They needed to get them to Krystal's place where they would be safe. Morgan looked Penelope. "Garcia, do you think you can hack into the helicarriers from wherever we're being taken?" The woman simply nodded. Garcia could hack into anything. 

Natasha was next to speak, handing Hotch what looked like a staples easy button. "Krystal sent us to get you out. Press this and you land at our safehouse." she promised, guns cocked as she looked around, shooting the hydra agents as they came around the corners. "Go, Now! Krystal will meet you there!" It was almost an order as she pressed the button, sending the BAU to Krystal's hidden magical castle at the veil between the human and fae worlds. 

Krystal's head snapped up at the arrival of the team, and she nodded at hoth Steve and Bucky. "Doctor Reid! sorry, I don't have alot of time to explain, but you are safe here. Hydra doesn't know where this place is. Miss garcia, you should be able to hack the helicarriers from my computer over on the desk." Her words were jumbled as she spoke, but both the doctor and penelope understood.

Morgan looked a bit frustrated as he sat in a nearby chair. "So we're just supposed to sit here?" his words held an obvious edge as he spoke, and you could tell he wasn't happy about staying behind. 

Krystal sighed. "I'm sorry, but its safest for you here. We have no idea what hydra might have up their sleeve." Her words were final as she spoke, and Hotch could see there would be no arguing. While they didn't quite trust Krystal, they could tell she meant no harm. 

Hotch nodded at Krystal. "Things are about to get sticky Morgan. Better to stay here."   
Krystal popped them each to a different helicarrier, chip in hand. She was stealthy as she crept around to get to the control room, easily slipping by. Whike it was true she had more years than she cared to admit of training for sitchuations like this, there was a simpler reason for her easy slip through. Fae could choose when they wanted to be seen, and at this present time, she didn’t.

Once there, Krystal crept into the control room. She was quick as she switched the chips, hand on her headset. "Captain, Garcia? The first chip is installed. Time to get to work."


	14. Chapter 14

Garcia was ready. 

"I'm in. One down, two to go." She grinned at her console. "Looks like they're gonna make it," she said to her team. 

Morgan nodded beside her.

"Don't get too cocky. They're gonna figure out something's up soon. And there's still the team inside."

Garcia nodded. "I'm tracking Agent Romanoff on the monitor over there."

Reid was watching as well. Agent Romanoff was once again in disguise, accompanying Alexander Pierce.

"Without the data extraction, we won't be able to prove the Cap and the others are innocent," he whispered. "We need evidence."  
Natasha's thoughts echoed Doctor Reid's worries, though she had no way of knowing that. She trailed Pierce, concealing all of her anger at his betrayal. She, like Fury, had trained beside him. And what was his thanks? For Fury, several bullets to the chest. She had no idea what Pierce might have planned for her after the Insight Project, but she had no intention of finding out. She'd chosen her side. 

"This way," Pierce directed her. She offered him a vague smile, in keeping with the mannerisms of the woman she was pretending to be.  
Bucky and Cap were together on the second helicarrier. Steve switched the chip while Bucky guarded his back, just like always.

"I've got it Garcia. One more to go." Steve turned to Bucky. "You know, with you standing there it feels like you never left. I still can't believe it."

Bucky grasped Steve's shoulder.

"Just one more thing to get used to, right? But save the sappy stuff for when this is all over."

Steve nodded, and they both ran to the rendezvous point, where they'd meet Sam and get a lift to the third and final helicarrier.   
Reid noticed it first.

"Garcia. You need to stop them!"

Garcia didn't glance away from the screens, trying to discern the problem.

"What's wrong?"

"If they stick to the plan they're going to walk straight into Hydra's counterattack. Look!"


	15. Chapter 15

While Doctor Reid worried about the teams setting off the HYDRA trap, Krystal was already installing the last chip, unseen. She had someone on the inside of HYDRA helping her, and he was in the party that now stood gaurd waiting for the captain show up, not knowing their "asset" had been taken from them. @paulisadroid stood watching the perimeter, his movements slightly shaken. He knew now just how badly HYDRA wanted to hurt people, and he wasn't having it.

Late last night while he was doung laundry at a place about 10 blocks from his place, he asked to use the phone. Once there, he called the personal phone of assistant director Krystal. "Hello?" came the reply from the other side as she twirled her hair around her finger. She had no clue who could be calling at such a weird hour. 

Paul sucked in a breath as he thought about what to say before speaking. "Assistant Director? I'm Paul from the anylizing floor of SHIELD, and I have some very disturbing news. HYDRA is inside SHIELD. I know because I used to be one of their blind followers. I realize now that they want nothing but death." His words were soft, meek, and afraid, yet there was a conviction in them that told Krystal he was not lying and meant well. 

Krystal made a face, though Paul would not see. "Hmm, well that explains alot. I shouldn't be surprised. Now, if its not to much trouble, I need your help." 

Krystal explained their plan quickly having already made sure the line was secure with special magic of the fae. "You think you can do that, Paul?" 

The man nodded though Krystal could not see. "I can do that."   
The next day, Krystal awaited the arrival of Steve, Bucky and Sam, giving them the power she'd known her whole life. The power to go invisible. Once there, Krystal gave Bucky a long passionate kiss. "For luck my onyx" she told him telepathically, appearing just as Brock Rumsen looked up. 

"So, this is what you've been doing soldier? Laying with this traitor?" there was anger in his voice, and Krystal smirked wickedly. He had no idea what he was in for. It was never wise to insult a fae. 

Bucky shook his head. "No. You're the traitor. Hydra just wants to kill everyone." his voice was level as he spoke, but you could tell that years of abuse by Hydra had changed him.  
Krystal made a subtle gesture with her hand, signifying Paul tobtake action. He smirked as he let out the blood red nerve gas. It was made to make the agents pass out. 

All but one did. Rumsen stood, looking at Krystal. "Maybe If I have my way with you you'll change sides, tramp. I've read of your kind. So egotistical and such sex addicts." 

Krystal smirked, putting one of her swords through his body and pulling it out before she spoke. "Not a chance in hell." 

Bucky spoke though the comms. "Garcia, we're ready"


	16. Chapter 16

"You got it Sergeant," Garcia's voice echoed through their headsets. With a few clicks, she'd disabled the weapons on the helicarriers, and sent out a pulse of energy that would temporarily jam all of Hydra's weapons. No guns or tasers would work. 

"They're all yours team Cap."

Steve nodded, taking his shield off of his back.

"Are you two ready?"

Krystal and Bucky nodded.

"Just like old times," Bucky grinned.  
Reid was still watching the screens, relieved that the ambush had been thwarted but not ready to relax yet. He was still worried about Natasha (who was inside S.H.I.E.L.D. with Alexander Pierce) and Sam (who was waiting to back her up just outside).

"Something's not right," he muttered, staring at the feed of Pierce. "He has to know that we've disabled the helicarriers. He sent that team to ambush Cap and the others. But he's calm."

Morgan joined him by the monitor. 

"Think it's time to call in the big guns?"

Reid shook his head, not tearing his eyes away from the screen.

"Not yet."

Natasha was about to make her move.  
Natasha glared at Pierce, but the gun was stable in her hand. She was angry, but Natasha knew that there wasn't time for that now. If she gave in and let herself be distracted by her feelings she could compromise the mission. She wouldn't let that happen. 

"All right Natasha. I'm not sure you want to do that."

She grimaced.

"Save the lives of millions of people, spill all your secrets, and destroy Hydra? Yeah, I'm pretty sure I do." She gestured at the other diplomats. "You'll want to get out of here before things start to blow up."

They hastily made for the door, but Pierce hit a button he'd concealed in his sleeve. The name tags on their chests lit up and electrocuted them before Natasha could do anything.

"Those were activated the second you put them on." He shrugged. "So I don't think you'll be doing any of that." He came closer to her. "If your friends are listening, they'd better reconsider taking down the helicarriers. They're programmed to self-destruct, so they'll take anyone on board down with them."

Natasha glared at Pierce.

"You think any one of us isn't willing to die today? To take Hydra down, it'll be worth it."

Pierce shrugged.

"I think I know you pretty well Agent Romanoff. You're smarter than that. Always have been. You'll live to fight another day, just like you always have. And I'm confident you'll end up picking the winning side sooner or later."


	17. Chapter 17

Natasha rolled her eyes at Alexander peirce, clicking on a transparent computer screen. "Then you don't know know me as well as you think you do." her words were flat as she spoke, sam calmly walking in behind her. He was most for backup, even if the pretty redhead had it all under control. 

Peirce laughed just then, watching her at the computer. "You need two high level officials to dump that information. I certainly won't help you." He was taunting her hust a bit. What the man didn't know was that she didn't need him. 

Now it was Natasha's turn to chuckle. "Who said anything about needing you? We're having company." With that, a dark figure appeared along with Krystal, Bucky and Steve. It was non other than Nicholas J. Fury himself. 

Alexander pierce smiled. "Its good to see you alive, old friend" he chirped, his fakeness fooling no one, including the director. Krystal simply snorted, offering her dainty hand to Natasha who was in the beginnings of leaking the info. 

Fury was next, and made a point as he took his eyepatch off. "Sometimes to win you have to have both eyes open." His words were simple and meaningful as the last part of the plan went into motion. Natasha shocked herself, and Krystal plunged her blue bladed sword into the heart of Alexander pierce. Now he was dead and everything was out in the open. SHIELD and HYDRA were now nothing but a form of currency no longer relevant. 

They had won.   
Later that night, Krystal was happily making some popcorn as Steve and Bucky relaxed on the couch. "Stevie, I've been telling you this since 1937. Just tell her how you feel, punk!" 

It was no secret to Bucky or to any of the other avengers that Steve was mad for Krystal. She herself didn't know it though, nor did Steve ever think of telling her until he woke from the ice. Now that Bucky was back though, things were complicated. He sighed. "Okay. But she'll just turn me down, Buck." But what Steve didn't know that Bucky did was that Krystal and fae in general were polymorous.


	18. Chapter 18

Steve could hear his best friend's voice in his mind. "You look good, punk. Just go. Krys is waiting" He would hear inside his head, egging him on. He knew that Krystal was a patient person, but he also knew he wanted to make a good impression, despite having known the woman upwards of 70 years now. He was shaking and nervous, yet he knew that if he didn't do this, he'd never know what it felt like. 

He remenbered asking her out like it was yesterday. He was a little awkward as he looked at her, her head tilted to the side. "What is it Stevie?" she asked in that soft innocent tone she possessed, making him weak in the knees. He had always wanted her, but felt it wouldn't be right to take his best friends girl, even many years after his death. 

"Krys, will you go out on a date with me?" he asked softly, one large hand rubbing his neck nervously as he awaited an answer. 

Krystal smiled, walking towards him from where she sat. "I'd love to. Say, saturday?" she asked, a soft smile on her face as she stroked his cheek. She really did love him. 

Now today was the day, and Steve was still in a tizzy. "She likes me" he repeated to himself over and over, driving off in his mustang to her mansion. Things were about to get interesting.   
Meanwhile, Krystal was getting ready for her date when JJ appeared, zipping up her dress for her. "Uncle Steve finally stop feeling guilty and ask you out?" 

Krystal jumped slightly as JJ appeared behind her, but then she grinned. "Sort of. Alot has happend while you and Tony were off sexing each other up in the bahamas." she said, her grin becoming cryptic and more cheshire cat like by the second. 

JJ knew that look all to well. "Should I be afraid?" he asked with raised eyebrows, following her out into the living room. 

JJ didn't get a good look at the tall brown haired man as he pulled his mother in for a kiss. "You look beautiful, doll. Stevie won't know what hit him" The sound of the man's voice was what caught his attention though. It wasn't possible, was it? His mother had always said he sounded just like his father. 

When the men finally met eyes, it was in the light of the living room. JJ was first to speak, eyes like saucers as he drank in every aspect of the man. He gasped in surprise. "Dad? Mommy, How is this possible?" 

Krystal chuckled, leaning into Bucky with a grin. "Like I said my little soldier, alot has happened while you were in the bahamas with your husband."


	19. Chapter 19

Bucky grinned, though inside he was nervous. 

"You got tall," he whispered, awestruck. "Should have known you'd be tall. Runs in the family."

JJ was still in total shock, but something in the tone of Bucky's voice broke the spell. He ran, wrapping his arms around Bucky, clutching him tightly. He needed to know he was real, that it wasn't a dream.

Smiling, Krystal stepped around them.

"You two have a lot of catching up to do," she smiled. "And I have somewhere I need to be." 

She left them to it; it was time for her to meet Steve.  
Meanwhile, Reid was waiting in the hearing room. He knew that Agent Romanoff would be delivering her testimony later in the day, and the emotions in the room were tense. Obviously everyone was scared. They'd just seen S.H.I.E.L.D., a decades-old institution fall because it had been infiltrated by Hydra. How could they move forward from that? And of course the helicarriers were still in the Potomac. That mess would be the least of their worries if the testimonies they'd already heard were true. Political corruption, with so many senior Senators implicated, could mean that the entire country would need to be examined. Hydra's roots were deep.

During the lunch break, Reid tried to eavesdrop, hoping to gauge the response Agent Romanoff could expect. He wasn't able to hear much, but what he did hear wasn't good. 

After the break, Romanoff was called to testify. Reid held his breath while he listened, not wanting to miss a second of it. 

"You need us. Yes, the world is a vulnerable place, and yes we help make it that way, but we're also the ones best qualified to defend it. So if you want to arrest me, arrest me. You'll know where to find me."  
Natasha walked out through the throng of reporters and photographers, the flashes blinding as they took picture after picture. She'd be trending on twitter for a few hours at least. Shuddering, she stepped outside, taking in a breath of air. Hopefully she wouldn't be followed- the testimonies after her were going to be interesting enough to draw attention away from her. Still, she was starting to regret being so aggressive. She'd practically dared them to take her in.

She wasn't going to let that happen of course.

"Agent Romanoff!"

She bristled, though she recognized that voice. Turning, she forced herself to smile at Doctor Reid, knowing that he didn't mean her any harm.

"Doctor Reid, I didn't realize you were still in town." She knew that the rest of the BAU was already back at Quantico, and it was a surprise to see Reid had stayed behind. "Is everything all right?"

He shrugged.

"I have to deliver another report and testify later this week, I figured it would be easier if I just stayed here." He looked at her, and for once she felt like he could see beyond the facade she's carefully constructed. She'd be irritated if it wasn't so impressive. "Are you all right Agent Romanoff? It seemed like they were really out for blood."

"If they're planning on taking me in, nothing I could have said would have changed their minds. Though I'd rather they didn't..."

Reid shook his head.

"They can't do that. Anyone can see you're not working for Hydra, that you never would have willingly."

Natasha remembered the words Zola had spoken before he was destroyed- that her loyalties could be bought. Steve trusted her, but Steve had faith that she didn't think she deserved. Reid however... Reid was an analyst. He based his theories on fact.

"I appreciate your conclusion, but my record says otherwise."

"You mean the one you released, knowing it would incriminate you?" He shook his head. "You might feel guilty for what you've done in the past, but we all make decisions in the field. We're influenced by the adrenaline, and we never have all of the information in front of us. You made the only choices you could, and now that you have all the facts you'll make different ones." He nodded. "Anyone who says otherwise isn't seeing the whole picture."

Natasha smiled. 

"Thank you Doctor Reid. Can I walk you home?"

Surprised, he smiled.

"Um, sure. Of course!"


	20. Chapter 20

Krystal smiled as she opened the door for Steve. "Hey sweetie. Bucky's finally meeting JJ. Ready for an amazing night?" she asked, tone jovial as she spoke, but the twinkle in her eyes and the fact that she wore his favorite dress from the 40's showed she had something amazing planned. 

Steve blushed as he watched her, leaning down to kiss her hand. "Lead the way ma'am" was all he said as he followed her into the elevator and down to his car.   
Krystal let out a chuckle. "As much as I love your little red car, I have a present for you." she explained, smirking as her butler drove out an authentic 1941 packard. It was just like the one he had always wanted before becoming the Captain. Granted, she had souped it up a little in case he needed to drive it as the captain, but it was still as timeless as him. 

Krystal stood on her tip toes as she gave his cheek a quick kiss, handing him the keys. "Do you like it?" 

Steve stood there in shock gor a moment, just taking in what he saw in front of him. "I love it. Its just what I'd always wanted." He let out a breath as he spoke, walking over to the shiny candy apple red packard, running his fingers over it. "Its perfect, Krys." He almost didn't know what he did to deserve a woman like this loving him, and every time he looked at her beaming back at him, he fell more in love. 

Krystal grinned, opening the door for him. "Shall we go then? I'll lead the way." She promised, sliding into the passenger's seat.   
It wasn't long until they were at their destination, Krystal having directed him well to a manaion on the outskirts of the city. It was the mansion she had been building when Bucky and he went to war. 

Steve stood in disbelief again. "The last time I saw this place, I was a 90lb weakling." He was impressed with how much thought she'd put into just one date. Maybe she really did love them both as she clsimed. 

Krystal had prepared Steve's favorite meal in advance, and it was waiting for them in the dining room next to the ballroom where she would finally teach him to dance. She had had this planned for months on the off chance he finslly decided to ask her out. "Now my dear Stevie, if you'll follow me inside, we'll have dinner."   
Steve followed her curiously, wondering what she might have planned. He never truly knew what to expect with Krystal, hut he was enjoying the sweetness and amazing effort she had put into this. 

"The dining room is just in here, Stevie." she said with a small smile, taking his hand as she walked towards their destination. 

Steve almost hadbto rub his eyes as he looked around the romanticly decorated setting. It was almost like valentines day. He'd have to think real hard to top this first date, and they were just getting started! 

At the snap of Krystal's fingers, butlers came in with their food. She gave him a smile as she pulled his chair out for him. "Sit and eat, Stevie." she told him softly, sitting in her own chair across from him.   
After dinner, Krystal blindfolded Steve, leading him to the large ballroom. He could see nothing, but he trusted her enough to know she wouldn't steer him wrong. She never had before. 

Jazz from the years they were friends before the war was being played by a band in the corner of the ballroom, and Krystal took of Steve's blindfold, reavealing the room to him. "Now, are you finally ready to learn how to dance?"


	21. Chapter 21

Epilogue (part 1) 

Tony grumbled, staring at the television screen in his private jet. The downfall of S.H.I.E.L.D. looked like it had been incredibly dangerous, and he didn't like seeing people he cared about in trouble. *Without* him!

"My phone's working. Is my phone working Pep? They could have called me."

Pepper didn't look up from her laptop, adding the finishing touches to Stark Industries press release.

"The could have called you Tony."

"But they didn't," he frowned into his glass of champagne. "They know I have a suit right? Bright red, equipped with rocket launchers, lasers, all that good stuff? Jarvis I'm pretty sure they've all seen the suit right?"

"It's not exactly subtle sir," the A.I. said above him. "Perhaps they thought they could handle the situation without you?"

"They made a mess is what they did. And aw- now look at that. Natalie is totally stealing my spotlight there! Annoying Congress used to be my thing."

"You know her name isn't really Natalie," Pepper still hadn't looked up. Tony had been venting since they'd boarded the plane. Several hours in, she regretted leaving her earplugs behind. 

"Well, whatever." Tony leaned back, waving his glass in the air. "Jarvis, can you get me another one of these? I'm out!"

"I've been instructed to tell you that you've been cut off sir."

"That's ridiculous, who instructed you to tell me that?"

"You did sir, about half an hour ago."

Tony groaned.

"Well, half an hour ago me didn't know what he was talking about."

"You mentioned you'd like to be 'at least kind of sober' when we landed, which I estimate to be in about thirty minutes. And your blood alcohol level is-"

"Ugh, fine!" Tony glared at the speakers in the ceiling. "I'll eat something. Will that make you happy? Of course it won't. It'll make both of us miserable." What he didn't want to say out loud was that he was nervous. "You know what Jarvis, never mind. Bring me a drink, I don't care what I said before."  
Pepper understood. She finally looked up and reached across the aisle for Tony's hand.

"Hey. They're all right. We know everyone down there is all right. We'll just be dealing with the clean-up. And considering how many messes you've made in the past-"

"I resent that," he cut her off, but he was definitely listening.

"I'd say we know how to handle that pretty well, between the two of us." She closed her laptop, snatching the drink Jarvis was delivering out of Tony's hand. She took a delicate sip, grinning. "Eat some cashews and buckle your seatbelt. You'll see JJ soon."

With that thought in mind, Tony settled in. He was still on edge, knowing the danger hadn't truly passed, but he focused on the one thing- the one person that really mattered. It was enough to keep him calm through the rest of the flight.


	22. Chapter 22

Epilouge, Part 2

JJ could almost hear the whining of his husband from his mother's front door. He let out a small sigh and got up from his chair, smiling at Bucky. "I'll be right back, dad." 

JJ's footsteps were easy as walked to the door, opening it for his husband and giving him a kiss to shut him up. He knew that he would hear it later for just disappearing earlier, but that could wait. 

When they parted lips, JJ smiled. "Alot more has happened while we were gone than we think. Come my heart, there is someone who I'd likevyou to meet." His tone was soft as he spoke, but Tony knew that smirk all to well. What exactly could have been so important tgat his husband had just left withoutvso much as a goodbye? Just thinking about it made the genius twitch.  
When they walked into the living room, Krystal was animatedly talking to man sbout the date she'd had with Steve, and how they'd kissed before he brought her home. Her glacisl blueveyes were excited, but she turned at seeing her son. He nodded at her, smiling. "Hey sweetness. I was just leaving." she said, disappearing with a puff of blue smoke. 

JJ smiled again, tuggingbat tony, who had been watching the story on iron man on the nearby television. "Tony, this is James Buchanan Barnes, my father. Dad, this is my husband Tony Stark" 

Tony held out his hand to Bucky for a shake, eyes almost as wide as JJ's were yesterday. "Its a pleasure to meet you sir" 

Bucky chuckled, hugging Tony. "Its good to meet you too. You look like your dad." he said simply, smiling again. 

Yes, now everything was fine in their world, and they would clean up what they could as always. Life was getting better. 

The End.


End file.
